How to Make a Dog Balloon Animal

Creating a Dog Balloon

Wayne Kawamoto

The dog balloon is a fundamental sculpture in the art of balloon twisting and the making of balloon animals. Many animals balloons such as the deer and giraffe balloon animal are variations on the dog balloon. And you'll find that the basics that you master when twisting a dog balloon, will apply to more difficult balloon sculptures.

Materials

One​ 260 Balloon

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Inflate

Creating the Head Part 1

Wayne Kawamoto

Twist three basic balloon twists. The first will be about two inches long, which will form the snout of the dog. The second and third twists will be smaller, about an inch each, to form the dog's ears.

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Creating the Head Part 2

Wayne Kawamoto

Bring the first, longer twist against the main body of the balloon in preparation for a lock twist.

As mentioned above, the first balloon segment (A), will form the snout of the dog. The second and third twists (B and C), will form the dog's ears. You'll be twisting B and C together while holding (A) and the main body of the balloon to create a lock twist.

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Creating the Head Part 3

Wayne Kawamoto

Your balloon sculpture should now resemble the head of a dog.

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Making the Neck and Legs Part 1

Wayne Kawamoto

Twist three basic balloon twists, each about three-inches. The first (A) will form the dog's neck. The second and third twists (B and C) will form the dog's front legs.

As you did with the dog's head, create a lock twist by twisting B and C and holding the rest.

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Making the Neck and Legs Part 2

Wayne Kawamoto

Your twisted balloon sculpture should now resemble the front of a dog with its head and front legs.

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Make the Body and Legs

Wayne Kawamoto

Twist three basic balloon twists, each about three-inches. The first (A) will form the dog's body. The second and third twists (B and C) will form the dog's back legs. The final balloon segment (D) will form the dog's tail.

As you did with the dog's front legs create a lock twist by twisting segments B and C and holding the rest.

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Completed Dog Balloon and Tips

Martin Koller / EyeEm / Getty Images

Kids enjoy the dog animal balloon and if you're trying to keep things simple—you're at an event where you have to make lots of balloon animals for lots of kids you can simply make dogs for everyone there. Keep in mind that there are simple variations that you can make:

Make the body extra long and the legs short, and you'll create a Dachshund or wiener dog.

Make the sculpture out of a yellow balloon and create an extra long neck, and you'll have a giraffe.

Make the dog with a relatively short neck and long legs, and you can call it a horse.

Remember that there's no shame in just making dog balloons. There are lots of clowns and people who appear at kids' birthday parties as characters who make nothing but swords and dogs. Kids will undoubtedly ask for more elaborate balloon animals that they have seen at other locales, but if you're firm, you can tell them that you're only making dogs and swords.